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ireadthatmovie's review
medium-paced
3.5
I'll preface this by saying I am not much of a graphic novel person. I'd like to be, in theory, but I never seem to connect with them the way I'd like to. That was definitely the case for me here. I can see this book really resonating with other readers, and I do like the idea of it as a graduation gift for incoming freshmen. I think I might have connected with it a little more back then.
carolineolesky's review
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A true and realistic view of freshman year of college, especially when you move away from home and don’t really have many friends you come in with. Brought me to tears but probably because of how closely it resembled my own experience. A good read for older high school or college students to remind them that college is not always as fun and perfect as it seems online.
libertyreads789's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Before I get into the bulk of my review, a quick thank you to both NetGalley and the publishers over at Christy Ottaviano Books, an imprint of Little Brown Books for Young Readers for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. In Freshman Year, we follow Sarah who just graduated high school and is enjoying her final summer at home before the start of college. But when she gets there she struggles to find a way to settle in and flourish. As the year goes on, we follow the highs and lows of her first year--meeting lots of friends along the way as Sarah tries to decide how to dress, how to eat, how to become her adult self. Freshman Year comes out on February 12th and is available for preorder now.
I want to start with the things that brought my rating down that aren't going to be impactful for most readers. What I need to remember with graphic novel ARCs is that the format doesn't always work. There were moments when the text on the page didn't line up with the speech bubbles or the images were muddied and hard to see. If you're reading a print copy, or even a completed eBook copy, this will not be a problem for you. I also struggled a bit with how emotionally charged this graphic novel is. I feel like I could really empathize with Sarah while reading because I also struggled in college to cope with all the changes happening around--and to--me. At first when starting college, again when coming home from college. It had me near tears a couple of times which I don't think was the actual intention. I think I just also had such a weird time my Freshman year of college. That also leans towards the positive side for me as well, I could truly relate to the main character and her friends. They all felt so real to me and that does say something about the writing. I think it was just a heavier graphic novel than I thought it would be. There are definitely some quirky moments to lift the story up a bit so it's not all emotional. I think my expectations were also just a little all over the place since I had read and loved Giant Days which was a comic series about a group of college friends in their first year and beyond.
But, overall, I think this was cute and sweet and emotional and funny all wrapped into one. It's not as quick of a read as I was anticipating but a couple of hours for a nearly 300 page graphic novel still isn't bad. Lots of fun and challenging moments to come with this one.
betweentheshelves's review
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Sarah is about to leave Wisconsin for her freshman year of college in Minnesota. She’s ready for a fresh start and excited to see what the future holds: meeting new people, holding onto high school friendships, and starting long distance with her boyfriend. At the beginning of the school year, she is full of hope.
But as the year goes on, things start to unravel. Her relationship with her boyfriend ends, she’s constantly comparing herself to her high achieving roommate, and making friends is harder than she thought. Quickly overwhelmed by the freedom and the isolation, Sarah has to figure out how to make it on her own.
Thanks to NetGalley and Christy Ottaviano Books for an advanced copy of Freshman Year by Sarah Mai to review! Always love a graphic novel that will be relatable to teens, especially for that transitional time between high school and college. Mai hits on a lot of struggles teens face when they first move out on their own. The overall tone of the book works so well for that particular age group.
I enjoyed the art style, even if it wasn’t necessarily my favorite. Some panels throughout I think could have used more detail. But the characters throughout the story were well-developed, both Sarah’s original friend group and the new one she makes at college.
One of the best things I think Mai captured in this book is that feeling of isolation you can sometimes feel when you go to college. Yes, it’s fun and new and you’re meeting all these people, but you also feel nostalgic for all of the things that were familiar to you.
This will be great for those teens that liked reading things like Click by Kayla Miller or Guts by Raina Telgemeier. Also a great gift for those teens going off to college next fall!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Chronic illness
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